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Beamdog's Official Statement (4-6-2016)

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  • SkaroseSkarose Member Posts: 247
    Skarose official response to serious controversy surrounding Beamdog.



    Thank You Beamdog, I'm advertising for you free on Facebook!
    GenderNihilismGirdlebooinyoureyesskeptik_59JuliusBorisov
  • BelleSorciereBelleSorciere Member Posts: 2,108
    edited April 2016

    @BelleSorciere You missed large portions of my point - I clearly focused on Steam and the authentic reviews there. Ignore GOG and Metacritic, focus on Steam where we at least know the reviewers own the game. 1/3 of them dislike it. That's a very large percentage that should not be ignored, much less written off as entirely transphobic, as if that could be only complaint about a game that launched with plenty of bugs.

    (Keep in mind I bought it, love it - minus some writing, and continue to support Beamdog.)

    1/3 of them dislike it but a large percentage of those people dislike it for ridiculous reasons (SJW content, in other words). Those negative reviews would be much lower in number if people hadn't started the internet hate machine over the presence of a transgender character in the game, and many of those negative reviews explicitly mention either "SJW" content or the trans character directly. Or they try to dogwhistle it by writing about "bad writing."

    A significant number are unhappy with the bugs and that's totally legit.

    I should clearly state my point, which is that much of the outrage about SoD has been manufactured.
    SkaroseGenderNihilismGirdlerorikonGrum
  • Diogenes42Diogenes42 Member Posts: 597
    Hello friends. Consider this: Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.

    So whether it is the improvement of videogames or the discussion of then, let us try to form the habit of excellence.
    GenderNihilismGirdleSids1188mf2112
  • BillyH666BillyH666 Member Posts: 96
    edited April 2016
    Thaudal said:

    Will you actually allow the evil aligned player to be able to mock her or something along those lines, and, you know, let us play our role in the roleplaying game? Because I highly doubt it. But let's hope I'm mistaken.

    Look mate, it's simple. Click on the weapon icon in your gui, then click on her. She'll gib right quick, just be prepared for the consequences of your evil actions right?

    mf2112
  • Abdel_AdrianAbdel_Adrian Member Posts: 430

    @BelleSorciere You missed large portions of my point - I clearly focused on Steam and the authentic reviews there. Ignore GOG and Metacritic, focus on Steam where we at least know the reviewers own the game. 1/3 of them dislike it. That's a very large percentage that should not be ignored, much less written off as entirely transphobic, as if that could be only complaint about a game that launched with plenty of bugs.

    (Keep in mind I bought it, love it - minus some writing, and continue to support Beamdog.)

    1/3 of them dislike it but a large percentage of those people dislike it for ridiculous reasons (SJW content, in other words). Those negative reviews would be much lower in number if people hadn't started the internet hate machine over the presence of a transgender character in the game, and many of those negative reviews explicitly mention either "SJW" content or the trans character directly. Or they try to dogwhistle it by writing about "bad writing."

    A significant number are unhappy with the bugs and that's totally legit.

    I should clearly state my point, which is that much of the outrage about SoD has been manufactured.
    I strongly disagree that many authentic Steam reviews from people who are confirmed buyers of the game are "manufactured" and you have no proof of this. Dogwhistle it to "bad writing"? It IS bad writing, that is as legitimate a complaint as bugs. The game has bugs and bad writing and my proof for that is that Beamdog themselves is addressing the.......writing. They removed Minsc's quote and are expanding on Mizhena's depth. Well I didn't have a problem with the existence of a trans character, as you would imply since I didn't like the writing, but I'm a lot happier that they're working on the writing, being such a frequent complaint as it is. Until you go through EVERY SINGLE negative Steam review and find the ratio of blatantly transphobic vs. legitimate complaints, you're ignoring a third of gamers who didn't like SoD and that's silly. Beamdog knows better and that's why they addressed the writing.
    Camus34Rawgrim
  • BelleSorciereBelleSorciere Member Posts: 2,108

    @BelleSorciere You missed large portions of my point - I clearly focused on Steam and the authentic reviews there. Ignore GOG and Metacritic, focus on Steam where we at least know the reviewers own the game. 1/3 of them dislike it. That's a very large percentage that should not be ignored, much less written off as entirely transphobic, as if that could be only complaint about a game that launched with plenty of bugs.

    (Keep in mind I bought it, love it - minus some writing, and continue to support Beamdog.)

    1/3 of them dislike it but a large percentage of those people dislike it for ridiculous reasons (SJW content, in other words). Those negative reviews would be much lower in number if people hadn't started the internet hate machine over the presence of a transgender character in the game, and many of those negative reviews explicitly mention either "SJW" content or the trans character directly. Or they try to dogwhistle it by writing about "bad writing."

    A significant number are unhappy with the bugs and that's totally legit.

    I should clearly state my point, which is that much of the outrage about SoD has been manufactured.
    I strongly disagree that many authentic Steam reviews from people who are confirmed buyers of the game are "manufactured" and you have no proof of this. Dogwhistle it to "bad writing"? It IS bad writing, that is as legitimate a complaint as bugs. The game has bugs and bad writing and my proof for that is that Beamdog themselves is addressing the.......writing. They removed Minsc's quote and are expanding on Mizhena's depth. Well I didn't have a problem with the existence of a trans character, as you would imply since I didn't like the writing, but I'm a lot happier that they're working on the writing, being such a frequent complaint as it is. Until you go through EVERY SINGLE negative Steam review and find the ratio of blatantly transphobic vs. legitimate complaints, you're ignoring a third of gamers who didn't like SoD and that's silly. Beamdog knows better and that's why they addressed the writing.
    I did go through many of the negative complaints, and in another thread someone else has posted links to articles written by people who have gone through the negative complaints.

    This is what is true: For the first three days or so, the reviews were "mostly positive." After the video of that guy talking to Mizhena and then killing her came out and people started talking about the trans character, then the negative reviews started pouring in.

    This is also true: You can purchase DLC, review it, and then - assuming it is within two weeks of the purchase date and you haven't played the game for more than two hours - refund it.

    A significant number of reviews are legit. A significant number are manufactured outrage about a trans character, about Amber Scott's words, and about the way Safana and possibly Jaheira were written.

    Many of the negative reviews use "bad writing" as code to make their reviews look more legitimate, but often they give themselves away.

    I am not saying you hate the trans character, or that everyone who is disappointed with the writing hates the trans character, but I do not think it does anyone any favors to ignore the fact that people were trying to carpet bomb SoD with negative reviews.
    GenderNihilismGirdlekillerrabbitAyiekierorikon
  • Abdel_AdrianAbdel_Adrian Member Posts: 430
    @BelleSorciere I've gone through many Steam complaints too and came to the opposite conclusion. I also read just about every article mentioning SoD and I know the negativity started a lot earlier than you state.
    Camus34dunbar
  • BelleSorciereBelleSorciere Member Posts: 2,108

    @BelleSorciere I've gone through many Steam complaints too and came to the opposite conclusion. I also read just about every article mentioning SoD and I know the negativity started a lot earlier than you state.

    Steam was mostly positive for three days, and mixed after that - until today. That much is true, and if the current trend continues, the percentage of negative reviews will continue to drop, even if the sheer number remains the same.

    Many of those articles talk about just how many reviews complain about the trans character, and include quotes or screenshots of several.

    The bugs are getting addressed, Mizhena's writing is getting addressed, legitimate complaints are being addressed, which is pretty much all Beamdog can do in response to the negative reviews that actually make sense. We'll see how many "I just don't like the writing" types will stand by their guns when the writing is improved.
    GenderNihilismGirdleprem0nition
  • redkingredking Member Posts: 5

    1/3 of them dislike it but a large percentage of those people dislike it for ridiculous reasons (SJW content, in other words).

    A ridiculous reason in your opinion, maybe. For me RPGs are escapism. I used to get this SJW content every single day at school. And sometimes at work too. I don't want it in my games. Yes, I know cis white males are the epitome of evil, and I have to pay taxes to the government so that can be taught in schools, but I am not going to fund it by buying games with this 'content'.

    Those negative reviews would be much lower in number if people hadn't started the internet hate machine over the presence of a transgender character in the game, and many of those negative reviews explicitly mention either "SJW" content or the trans character directly. Or they try to dogwhistle it by writing about "bad writing."

    A significant number are unhappy with the bugs and that's totally legit.

    I should clearly state my point, which is that much of the outrage about SoD has been manufactured.

    Don't tell me which of my subjective opinions are legitimate. I have my opinion and you have yours. If you want poorly written transgender characters in your games, fine. I don't like it and won't pay for it.
    Camus34Abdel_AdrianThaudalRathenau
  • FoggyFoggy Member Posts: 297
    edited April 2016

    Hello friends. Consider this: Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.

    Didn't know that Aristotle played Baldur's gate :smile: thank you my friend.
    GenderNihilismGirdlebooinyoureyes
  • skeptik_59skeptik_59 Member Posts: 38

    and Amber/Beamdog have not only admitted, but basically boasted about #3.

    As well they might - it's THEIR creative content after all, so naturally they feel proud of it and should not be expected to not say so.

    Besides, the current copyright holders of the game, the game system and the particular milieu signed off on their writing, so it's not like they stepped on the toes of anyone that matters....
    GenderNihilismGirdlemf2112
  • SharGuidesMyHandSharGuidesMyHand Member Posts: 2,579
    Ayiekie said:



    I could go on. Safana's dialogue would fit right in in slapstick comedy or pornography, and not too much else. She is, even by the standards of BG1, not a realistic or well-developed character. She's a one-note joke. So's Xan and Alora, of course - it's hardly limited to Safana. But any full-length use of her character in an expansion was going to have to broaden and deepen it, because there is almost nothing to stay faithful to.

    Xan and Alora don't have ulterior motives that they're pursuing, unlike Safana. Safana may come off as "one-note" ostensibly, but (unlike other "one-note" characters) there's an actual purpose to it within the context of the game. Amber and the others at Beamdog either failed to understand this, or just deliberately ignored it to pursue something else that they wanted to see in the game instead.
    Baeloth_JnrRathenau
  • FoggyFoggy Member Posts: 297


    Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for. ;)

    Hear hear for Socrates. I'm fond of Greek philosophy myself. Keep up your excellence and I foresee you'll become a moderator in these forums.
    skeptik_59booinyoureyes
  • Baeloth_JnrBaeloth_Jnr Member Posts: 86

    Ayiekie said:



    I could go on. Safana's dialogue would fit right in in slapstick comedy or pornography, and not too much else. She is, even by the standards of BG1, not a realistic or well-developed character. She's a one-note joke. So's Xan and Alora, of course - it's hardly limited to Safana. But any full-length use of her character in an expansion was going to have to broaden and deepen it, because there is almost nothing to stay faithful to.

    Xan and Alora don't have ulterior motives that they're pursuing, unlike Safana. Safana may come off as "one-note" ostensibly, but (unlike other "one-note" characters) there's an actual purpose to it within the context of the game. Amber and the others at Beamdog either failed to understand this, or just deliberately ignored it to pursue something else that they wanted to see in the game instead.
    Yeah, plays like the real Safana died in BG1 and was replaced by an SJW doppleganger.
    Camus34Rathenau
  • Diogenes42Diogenes42 Member Posts: 597

    Yeah, plays like the real Safana died in BG1 and was replaced by an SJW doppleganger.

    This would be an extremely funny idea for a quest, thank you for the idea friend. Maybe an offshoot group of doppelgangers that escaped your wrath in Baldur's Gate.
    Camus34
  • Abdel_AdrianAbdel_Adrian Member Posts: 430

    Yeah, plays like the real Safana died in BG1 and was replaced by an SJW doppleganger.

    This would be an extremely funny idea for a quest, thank you for the idea friend. Maybe an offshoot group of doppelgangers that escaped your wrath in Baldur's Gate.
    No doppelgangers escape the wrath of Abdel Adrian.
    Camus34booinyoureyes
  • Sids1188Sids1188 Member Posts: 165
    edited April 2016
    Foggy said:


    Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for. ;)

    Hear hear for Socrates. I'm fond of Greek philosophy myself. Keep up your excellence and I foresee you'll become a moderator in these forums.
    @Diogemes42 is the one person keeping us sane through all this. Much appreciated.
    FoggyGenderNihilismGirdleGozeta
  • Diogenes42Diogenes42 Member Posts: 597

    Yeah, plays like the real Safana died in BG1 and was replaced by an SJW doppleganger.

    This would be an extremely funny idea for a quest, thank you for the idea friend. Maybe an offshoot group of doppelgangers that escaped your wrath in Baldur's Gate.
    No doppelgangers escape the wrath of Abdel Adrian.
    I think you mean Foolio Displasius, Destroyer of the Seven Suns! Raagh!
    Camus34Abdel_AdrianrorikonGrum
  • RawgrimRawgrim Member Posts: 621
    Strange that Scott never felt the need to fix the male characters in the game, come to think of it. 80 percent of them are either dumb, insane, or sociopaths. One might argue that they are poor representations of males.
    Camus34SilverstarSharGuidesMyHandRathenau
  • booinyoureyesbooinyoureyes Member Posts: 6,164

    Ayiekie said:



    I could go on. Safana's dialogue would fit right in in slapstick comedy or pornography, and not too much else. She is, even by the standards of BG1, not a realistic or well-developed character. She's a one-note joke. So's Xan and Alora, of course - it's hardly limited to Safana. But any full-length use of her character in an expansion was going to have to broaden and deepen it, because there is almost nothing to stay faithful to.

    Xan and Alora don't have ulterior motives that they're pursuing, unlike Safana. Safana may come off as "one-note" ostensibly, but (unlike other "one-note" characters) there's an actual purpose to it within the context of the game. Amber and the others at Beamdog either failed to understand this, or just deliberately ignored it to pursue something else that they wanted to see in the game instead.
    Yeah, plays like the real Safana died in BG1 and was replaced by an SJW doppleganger.
    While she certainly is a bit different, and I'm not sure how I feel about it, this is far, far, far from the truth.
    FoggyGenderNihilismGirdleIllustairSilverstar
  • Baeloth_JnrBaeloth_Jnr Member Posts: 86

    Oh my god....we've gone from complaints about a trans npc, to complaints about an Amber Scott interview, to complaints that the trans character wasn't authentic enough, to complaints that the writing is universally terrible....and now people seem to want Safana to be completely rewritten because of some jerk-off fantasy they had during 1998. We've gone well past moving the goalposts at this point. Now we're just moving the game to completely different stadiums every 18-24 hrs.....


    Rawgrim said:

    Strange that Scott never felt the need to fix the male characters in the game, come to think of it. 80 percent of them are either dumb, insane, or sociopaths. One might argue that they are poor representations of males.

    Not if this forum the last week is any indication....
    Isn't it nice that equality includes such double standards.
    [is there a sarc tag here?]
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